Cricket Eastern Cape broke new ground yesterday when they appointed Malibongwe Maketa as their head coach for three seasons.
The 34-year-old becomes the first black African to nail down the Warriors position and follows in the footsteps of Mickey Arthur, Russell Domingo and, most recently, Piet Botha.
Both Arthur and Domingo went on to coach the Proteas while Botha resigned from the position in December last year.
Maketa had been fulfilling the role of interim coach since Botha’s resignation and achieved favourable results during the three-month period.
After a string of sub-standard performances in the first half of the season, the Warriors experienced a reversal of fortunes which coincided with Maketa taking over the reins. Under his watch, the team has only lost twice in nine matches and he appears to have won the confidence of the players.
That was enough to convince Cricket Eastern Cape to give the former Dale College and Border cricketer the job.
“We embarked upon a very rigorous recruitment and selection process in our efforts to fill this crucial position. It is really great that Malibongwe emerged as the best candidate from this process,” HR and Remco Committee chairman Gary Paul said yesterday.
“The specially-constituted appointment committee agreed that Mali is the person to take the Warriors forward. His appointment provides a seamless transition as he has been performing the head coach role on an interim basis in addition to having been the assistant coach for a two-year period.”
Maketa said yesterday he was up for the challenge of restoring the Warriors back to their glory days.
“It’s a great honour and privilege to be entrusted with such a responsibility.
“We have a young, dynamic squad and I hope that my passion and knowledge for the game will help them reach their potential as individuals and together as a squad we are always competing at the highest level,” he said.
Maketa was born in Port Elizabeth but grew up in King William’s Town. He represented Border cricket through all the age groups from U13 through to U18 and then at senior level. He also played at club level for Morecambe Cricket Club in Lancashire and it is there he started his coaching career.
Maketa then spent some time coaching at school level in the Western Cape before working as an assistant coach at the Titans for eight years. He joined the Warriors two years ago.
Maketa takes up the cudgels for Warriors
Cricket Eastern Cape broke new ground yesterday when they appointed Malibongwe Maketa as their head coach for three seasons.
The 34-year-old becomes the first black African to nail down the Warriors position and follows in the footsteps of Mickey Arthur, Russell Domingo and, most recently, Piet Botha.
Both Arthur and Domingo went on to coach the Proteas while Botha resigned from the position in December last year.
Maketa had been fulfilling the role of interim coach since Botha’s resignation and achieved favourable results during the three-month period.
After a string of sub-standard performances in the first half of the season, the Warriors experienced a reversal of fortunes which coincided with Maketa taking over the reins. Under his watch, the team has only lost twice in nine matches and he appears to have won the confidence of the players.
That was enough to convince Cricket Eastern Cape to give the former Dale College and Border cricketer the job.
“We embarked upon a very rigorous recruitment and selection process in our efforts to fill this crucial position. It is really great that Malibongwe emerged as the best candidate from this process,” HR and Remco Committee chairman Gary Paul said yesterday.
“The specially-constituted appointment committee agreed that Mali is the person to take the Warriors forward. His appointment provides a seamless transition as he has been performing the head coach role on an interim basis in addition to having been the assistant coach for a two-year period.”
Maketa said yesterday he was up for the challenge of restoring the Warriors back to their glory days.
“It’s a great honour and privilege to be entrusted with such a responsibility.
“We have a young, dynamic squad and I hope that my passion and knowledge for the game will help them reach their potential as individuals and together as a squad we are always competing at the highest level,” he said.
Maketa was born in Port Elizabeth but grew up in King William’s Town. He represented Border cricket through all the age groups from U13 through to U18 and then at senior level. He also played at club level for Morecambe Cricket Club in Lancashire and it is there he started his coaching career.
Maketa then spent some time coaching at school level in the Western Cape before working as an assistant coach at the Titans for eight years. He joined the Warriors two years ago.
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